Najib takes an 'old is gold' swipe at Mahathir

Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his nemesis Dr Mahathir Mohamad have seldom let an opportunity slip to take potshots at one another.

This morning was no different when Najib addressed a group of retired police officers at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

“Old is gold,” said the prime minister in his speech, adding that he was also reminded of another saying that “age does not matter as long as what matters does not age”.

Najib then referred to a 93-year-old former Malacca chief police officer, who was present at the event.

“But then there is someone who is 93 but does not want to retire,” he joked, drawing laughter and applause from his audience.

This was an obvious reference to Mahathir, who has been named by Pakatan Harapan as its prime minister candidate.

Najib also remarked that a person's duty to the nation does not end at the retirement age of 60, noting that some were “still not done” in their 90s.

“Dia mengarut dah tu, simpang jauh (he is talking nonsense, straying far),” he said.

Mahathir was prime minister for more than two decades until stepping down in 2003. However, he continued to play an active role in national politics.

He was instrumental in pressuring his handpicked successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to step down in 2009, whom he blamed for BN's massive electoral setback in the 12th general election a year earlier.

Following this, Mahathir has trained his guns on Najib, accusing the prime minister of corruption with regard to the 1MDB scandal.

Najib has denied abusing public funds for personal gain and claimed that Mahathir was attempting to topple him from power for a personal agenda.

Mahathir has since crossed over to the opposition and helms the four-party pact of PKR, DAP, Amanah and Bersatu. -Mkini